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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24037915">Not a monster but something different.</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/dark_sequoia/pseuds/dark_sequoia'>dark_sequoia</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Gravity Falls</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 15:40:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,271</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24037915</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/dark_sequoia/pseuds/dark_sequoia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>John didn't remember much of the change back to himself. He was told by Ned that it was a horrific thing to witness and he could go through the rest of his life not ever seeing it again. The witch had advised that John took it easy for a couple of months, nothing too strenuous, before she disappeared in a plume of smoke. </p><p>John is more himself than he's ever been but not everyone seems to think so.</p><p>The only characters of mine are John, Ned and Agatha. Winona is briefly mentioned and could return in a future chapter but honestly I haven't thought that far ahead yet. Enjoy!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Not a monster but something different.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is the third installation of the monster au and I'm considering uploading the second soon. Ned lives somewhere in the woods totally off grid and has been a good friend of John's since he arrived in Gravity Falls.</p>
    </blockquote><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A few days have passed since John underwent the painful transition back to his regular human self but that doesn't mean he's back to normal just yet.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>John didn't remember much of the change back to himself. He was told by Ned that it was a horrific thing to witness and he could go through the rest of his life not ever seeing it again. The witch had advised that he took it easy for a couple of months, nothing too strenuous, before she disappeared in a plume of smoke.</p><p>Ned insisted on keeping an eye on him as he recovered if only for a short while. John knew the woods were calling his friend with its mesmerising song. Everything in the house was unbearably loud, the hum of the fridge, flickering of the overhead lights.</p><p>"I can't remember the last time I slept in an actual bed." He groaned as he nursed his cup of coffee loaded with milk and sugar. John sat opposite him, hand curled around his own mug. There was a far off look in his eyes, something Ned had noticed often.</p><p>"I found you sleeping by the fireplace last night."</p><p>"What?" He snapped out of his trance, frowning at his friend.</p><p>"Curled around that pelt of yours like you were back in the den."</p><p>"Some habits are hard to break." He smiled weakly, sipping his coffee and grimaced. The mattress of his bed was too soft, it had been a struggle to get comfortable after having slept on the ground for two years.</p><p>"Agatha also mentioned that a few wolf traits may have stuck around." Ned said off handedly with a shrug.</p><p>"It'll be a while before you feel yourself again." An awkward silence hung above their heads in the kitchen, Ned tapped his foot against the cool tile. "You know,"</p><p>He began realising something.</p><p>"No one knows you're back, you could disappear. Spend some time on the road, rediscover yourself. The possibilities are endless."</p><p>"I could leave Gravity Falls behind?" John murmured as he lifted his eyes from the floor.</p><p>"You could leave Oregon, move to new Jersey or Ohio. No one would be the wiser." Ned smiled.</p><p>"I've never really given it any thought."</p><p>"I understand that, I do. Before Ryan died, home was wherever he was. Now, home is wherever I am. This has been your home for forty years but who's to say you can't come back? I doubt Winona would mind if you let her keep an eye on this place while you're gone." He offered and John looked away. His smile faltered.</p><p>"What happened?"</p><p>"She's not been around for a while. The phoenix took control. I haven't seen her in years."</p><p>"Is she--?"</p><p>"Last anyone saw of her, she was on a greyhound heading out of town." Ned sagged back in his chair as he processed the information. Dark eyes flickered and John stood from the table, having finished his mug of coffee. He set it down in the sink and leaned against the counter, considering the vast array of possibilities.</p><p>A full week passed before Ned said his "so longs", handing him a thick envelope and disappeared into the woods. John watched him go and shut the front door. The sun had risen barely an hour ago and he felt awake. There was no point going back to sleep. He dressed in clothes that used to hug him in all the right places but now they hung off his frame like a sheet on a coat stand. John tamed the scruffy beard that had grown unperturbed over the coure of his time as a beast, trimming the more wirey strands with a pair of small scissors he'd found in the bathroom cabinet. He tied his long hair into a bun and pulled a beanie over his ears, shoving socked feet into boots and set down the garden path towards the gravel road that led into town.</p><p>The winter morning air was crisp as his feet crunched on the gravel path, trees loomed overhead. There had been a heap of mail on the porch when Ned had pushed open the door to the house. It had taken roughly two hours to sort through the pile, call up companies who wondered where he'd been and he'd fabricated a story that seemed to satisfy people on the other end of the phone.<br/>
His bank had sent a new credit card as his previous one had expired a year ago. He needed to restock his kitchen. Most of the stuff was absolute hazard to chuck into a bin bag but he'd pushed past the horrifying odour and scrubbed out the fridge and the freezer.</p><p>John felt a strange stirring in his chest as if something tugged on his bones. The sensation itself was comfortingly familiar. He let it lead him off the beaten track, ducking between the trees and avoiding low branches. Frost glistened from the dappled shade slipping between the gaps in the canopy. It was beautiful, a sight he'd grown rather accustomed to. The forest had been always been his home. He realised that he'd brought the thick envelope Ned handed to him before he departed, removing it from his pocket. John's brow furrowed as he read the neat scrawl on the blue stationary.<br/>
"'Just a few ideas'?"<br/>
He said, doubtful. His friend hadn't held back, writing more than just a few ideas with black and white photos and postcards thrown in there too. John knew these had come from his collection, words meant for Ned written in pen on the back. Ryan was a great kid, he'd been so young when he'd--<br/>
No.<br/>
He banished the thought from his mind and continued through the undergrowth. To any other person they would think themselves lost, that everything looked the same. John was not any other person and he knew the area like the back of his hand. Rotting flesh hit his nose and he fought the urge to gag from the unpleasant smell. Before he changed back, he would kill and eat prey away from his den, the smell often sickened him. Only small animals like rabbits and birds that he could eat in the same day would be consumed in the den and the remains disposed outside. </p><p>Despite the powerful smell, everything was peaceful as if the forest had sorely missed John and now glad to see him back. He saw the pile of rocks he considered an important landmark and headed north. His den was carved into the side of a natural slope, well hidden by low growing shrubs and tall ferns.  He pushed the foliage back from the entrance and made his way inside, sitting down against the far wall. John felt at ease here, his shoulders sagging in relief. Something caught his eye and he tilted his head. It was odd, seeing something out of place in the den on a beast. His hand closed around the object, pulling back and examined it. </p><p>It was a bracelet, made from blue glass beads. On four of them, they spelt his name with a heart on the end. He smiled, knowing full well who had made this. How did she find this place? Did she go alone or had she roped Dipper into it and sworn him to secrecy?<br/>
He brushed the dirt from the bracelet, tying it around his wrist with some difficulty. Looking around the den, he contemplated on staying a little longer. He wanted to do nothing more than to settle down and fall asleep in the security of his home. A nap wouldn't hurt, right?<br/>
John weighed his options, sliding down the dirt wall slightly and tucked his hands into his pockets. He would stay long, just for a few more minutes....</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This can go one of two ways:<br/>He's discovered or he bumps into someone on the way back home. </p><p>I added a considerable amount to it, enjoy!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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